Sarasota Livin'

The Sarasota County Planning Commission is also looking at a form of inclusionary zoning during the EAR process... I saw it on TV last night (and the week before)... I find it much more relevant and interesting than the Michael Jack_on (I don't even want the name on my blog) trial or other mindless "reality" crap on TV...

KnowledgePlex has a Palm Beach Post story from Martin County...

STUART

After years of simply talking about the area's affordable housing "crisis," Martin County commissioners took action Tuesday.

The board unanimously agreed to start developing rules that require at least 10 percent of homes in all new developments to be priced for families with a household income of less than $61,000 a year.

Developers of communities with lots that are a half-acre and larger would be allowed to provide cash or land in lieu of building the affordable homes.

All five commissioners said they didn't think the county would see results unless they made the guidelines mandatory.

The concept, known as "inclusionary zoning," aims to help working residents who earn a decent living but can't manage to buy in the county's red-hot market.

Commissioners decided to target families earning between 80 percent and 120 percent of the area's median income, which is $50,800 for a family of four.

"Without workforce housing, there's no workforce," Commissioner Susan Valliere said. "When people go out to eat, there will be nobody to wait on their tables. When they go to get their hair cut, there will be nobody to cut their hair."